Fuller Reviews SPD, SFD Pay Increase Plans

Councilwoman LeVette Fuller talks about the Public Safety Committee coming up later today and the moves it may may to put together a plan to give raises to SPD officers.

The committee will consider a number of options to find money to give pay increases, not only to Shreveport Police, but city fireman, as well.

"We'll see where we are today with the Public Safety meeting," Fuller begins, saying she's heard from a number of SPD officers about the difference the money would make in their lives. "The problem we're having is the messaging, I think. And the (Perkins) administration is getting ready to oppose all of it."

Fuller then explains her plan to pay for the SPD raises, a proposal recently table by the council. "It would allow vacant positions - that have been vacant for a really long time - and would be mathematically impossible to recruit and train and get to that number in the next year. So why not...use that money to create the raises for existing officers (that) would give about $4,000 per position. The whole idea here is to stop the bleeding, internally and externally. The department and the city is suffering because we're at mandatory minimums on patrol."

And the Councilwoman explains other options to be considered. "The other plan that's come up has been a4% raise for police and fire...that would be that 4%, plus a 2% longevity which sounds like 6%, but would really be 4% and I don't know that that would do enough to help retain the people we have."